


A Dream's Melody (Reader x Exarch)

by sorayai



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romance, Song - Freeform, Sweet, Yearning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 11:21:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29775408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sorayai/pseuds/sorayai
Summary: Lonely and nostalgic, you wander through the streets of the Crystarium, recalling your long lost love, G'raha Tia. Without thinking, you find yourself at the gates of the Crystal Tower and are overtaken by the urge to speak with the Crystal Exarch. However, he is not present in the Ocular when you arrive.Before you can turn to leave, you hear the Exarch playing beautiful music on a piano and singing a familiar melody--The melody you created with G'raha Tia during the final night you spent together before he sealed himself away.Reader x Exarch
Relationships: G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Reader, G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Warrior of Light
Comments: 3
Kudos: 14





	A Dream's Melody (Reader x Exarch)

After all that had transpired in Il Mheg, you were ready for a break. Titania had proven to be a considerably strong opponent; Lightwardens reminded you of the primals you often battled in the Source, but far more deadly. Absorbing their Light seemed like it always filled you with shallow memories--visions spurred on by the Echo.

These visions left you feeling drained, melancholy, and a little lonely and nostalgic.

Long-buried feelings and memories of a love lost but not forgotten always resurfaced...and you remembered _him._ G'raha Tia.

Despite everything, you still thought of him. His smile. His touch. His voice. The feeling of dread that crept up over time when you realized you might not see him again after journeying into the Crystal Tower. Unfortunately, your gut feeling had been correct.

But whenever the memories became too heavy to bear, you hummed a song. The song you made together with G'raha Tia, ever the skilled bard. Your skills with an instrument were lacking and your voice sounded like a dying chicken, but you at least helped _somewhat_ with the composition... with a lot of help from G'raha.

Ever since you came to the First, you felt yourself humming that song more than usual as you strode through the Crystarium's streets alone, basking in the night returned. As you watched the stars above, you often wondered what sort of dreams G'raha was having, slumbering within the Crystal Tower...

...you wondered if you would see him again.

Every so often, you would raise your eyes up to the Crystal Tower, and sometimes you would be overwhelmed with emotion. Tears would sting in your eyes as you remembered those golden gates shutting, pushing the two of you apart.

Two hands that would never meet again.

How could it be, that this Crystal Tower was so different from your own? How could it be... that G'raha Tia was nowhere to be found within its spiraling chambers?

Lost in your thoughts, you found that you had wandered up to those same gates that once shut your beloved far away... Somewhere in your heart, you hoped that the Crystal Exarch could answer your questions, maybe even help you to see _him_ again.

Somehow, hearing his voice calmed you down when you felt unsteady.

Though it was late, against your judgement you pushed opened the gate that lead into the Ocular, quietly stepping inside. You looked around, but the robed figure was nowhere to be seen. Alas, he must have already retired to his chambers elsewhere...

But ere you turned to leave, you heard the sound of a piano playing an eerily familiar tune. Your body froze as you quickly jerked your head to the source of the melody. You took a step closer, your heart beating faster as your curiosity was confirmed.

It _was_ that song. And then, your breath caught in your throat as you heard him sing the very lyrics you wrote with G'raha Tia that fateful night before you said goodbye. . .

_"Forever_

_What is forever?_

_A dream's melody_

_A heart's sweet desire_

_A whisper on the wind_

_Wishing on the stars_

_A dream of you and me_

_Silently praying_

_Desperately longing_

_A long forgotten destiny_

_Through the veil of eternity_

_Time is fleeting, fleeting_

_But a dream is forever"_

You were shaking as you slowly approached the Exarch's door, but froze again as the song continued with lyrics you did not recall--lyrics he must have added sometime later.

_"I dream of a melody_

_An ode to eternity_

_Two voices, two dreams_

_Connected by a thread of fate_

_Beyond the rivers of time_

_Untouched by the winds of change_

_I can see your smiling face_

_A mirage of tomorrow_

_Yet your light is all I need_

_Your light will set me free_

_Though this dream must end_

_Your story must go on_

_On and on and on_

_Forever_

_What is forever?_

_A dream's melody_

_A dream of you and me_

_That was never meant to be_

_But as long as you exist..._

_My dream will..."_

The music abruptly ended as his voice grew somber. You bit your lips and reached for the door to his room. You knew you should turn back and run, but now that you had heard that song, now that you were all but certain that the Crystal Exarch was G'raha--

You couldn't turn away.

And so, you opened the door, and with it...your heart.

The Crystal Exarch turned his head in shock, eyes wide as tears streamed down his face. He quickly looked away and pulled his cowl over his head, staring down at the keys of the piano wordlessly. You could hear him sniffling quietly as you approached, but he cleared his throat and sighed softly. "...G'raha...?" You weakly spoke his name and saw him twitch.

"...No... You were not... Not supposed to be here. Not now." He folded his hands in his lap, the pain apparent in his voice as he turned his head farther from you.

"G'raha, is... is it really you?" You touched his shoulder and he trembled slightly.

"...[Name]. Please... You mustn't. Please leave me be."

"G-G'raha..." Tears began to build in your eyes as your heart clenched. So many different thoughts and emotions ran through you at once that you lost your composure. "Don't push me away. Not after all this time. I... It really is you, isn't it...? That song, it's--"

He lowered his head even more. "...I know. It was our song. Once... it was meant to be a promise. A promise that we would never part. That we would never forget. Of course... Of course I couldn't forget." You saw a few sparkling tears fall onto his hands. "Not now. Not ever. How could I ever forget... someone like you? Someone I cherish so much."

You placed a hand on his shoulder. Why was this so painful? Why should such happy reunion play out like this? "I don't understand. G'raha... Why are you... pushing me away?"

"...Because, [Name]. In order for you to survive... you must let me go."

"I don't understand," you gripped his shoulder a little more tightly. "I... still love you, G'raha Tia. I can't accept what you're saying. You're here... Right now, in this moment. We can... we can be together again, can't we? I won't let the Lightwardens do any more damage. I can stop them, I can bring the night back to Norvrandt. Everything..."

The Crystal Exarch turned slightly, raising his head to you. You could barely see the outline of the face you'd dreamt of countless nights in the dimly lit room. "Ah...[Name]. What am I...to do about this? How clumsy of me. I had even forgotten to lock my door..."

"You're hiding something," you said, grasping his cowl with your other hand. He sighed sadly, his bright red eyes avoiding your gaze, but he did not move to stop you. "G'raha, please." Your hand was shaking, but you did not want to tear the cowl away in fear something might break.

"I never...wanted to," he said softly, touching his crystalline hand to yours, gradually lacing his fingers into your own as he carried your hand away from his cowl. "I never wanted this to happen. I only... wanted to keep you safe. Even if it meant deceiving you."

"You don't need to deceive me, G'raha... You can tell me anything. If there's something that needs to be done, I will do it. I won't allow anything to get in my way... You just have to trust me. We promised that we'd always be there for each other...and that promise is still valid."

"Indeed, it is," he murmured, clasping his other hand on top of yours. "But there is no other way. You have to understand..."

"Then help me understand. Why are you pushing me away?" There was a long, uncomfortable silence.

The Crystal Exarch lowered his head so the shadows entirely obscured his face. "We cannot be together, [Name]. Not anymore. My heart is... I cannot love you anymore."

You sensed that he was lying, but his words were like a dagger to your heart. "Th-Then why were you singing that song? Why did you sound so sad...so lonely? Why did your voice reflect exactly the feelings I have held in my heart since that moment we parted?"

"Someday, even dreams must end...Warrior of Light. A hundred years have passed for me... one-hundred long, difficult years. My... E-Even my feelings... have changed." His voice was shaking. He was clearly lying, and as he lied, he held your hand so tenderly, so lovingly, as though it were the most fragile thing in all existence.

You weren't quite sure what he was saying, but it didn't matter. All that you were focused on was the fact that he was, in fact, your love. That was _all_ you needed to know.

You pulled your hands away and brought them to the edges of his cowl. He grabbed your wrists weakly as you grit your teeth, and you pulled it away to reveal his watery eyes.

He had the same face you remembered, the same face you adored. There was a streak of crystal that ran midway up one side of his face, but his eyes were as gentle as the last time you had seen him. His hair was slightly frosted near the tips, but there was no doubt--

He was G'raha Tia.

Your heart swelled upon seeing him, and you smiled sadly. "Stop lying to me, G'raha Tia... Please..." You leaned a little closer and he fidgeted slightly.

The Exarch squeezed your wrists before sighing, unable to escape your striking glare.

"I..." He uttered, but no more words came out. He simply sat there, his lips parted, tears gently dripping from his eyes as he became lost in your gaze.

You pulled your hands away from his grasp and unconsciously wiped the tears from his cheeks and began to sing as best as you could manage.

"What is forever? A dream's melody... a heart's sweet desire," you sang to him, gently stroking his face with one hand as you slipped the other down to caress his arm. "A whisper on the wind, wishing on the stars... a dream of you and me."

G'raha slowly closed his eyes, pursing his lips as you could no longer hold back your tears. He blinked and looked up when he felt them fall onto his face and arm, a quiet gasp escaping him. "[Name]..." he hesitated. "Don't..."

"Through the veil of eternity, time is fleeting, fleeting...but a dream is forever," you leaned down farther, placing your hands on the arms of the Exarch's chair, gazing directly into his eyes as tears freely streamed down your face. "Forever... G'raha. Forever, for you."

His lips quivered as he saw you shedding tears for him, and he had a look of anguish on his face. Though he had shown you only a distant, reserved demeanor since you had arrived on the First, now that he had been wholly revealed to you... his feelings came bubbling back.

The Crystal Exarch slowly raised a shaking hand to wipe the tears from your eyes, and you instinctively leaned even closer, touching your forehead to his as his ears drooped. "[Name]... Why must you be this way? Why can't I... bring myself to... even though I must..."

He continued murmuring like that on and on as his eyes wandered away.

"G'raha Tia." You said his name gently, yet with a determination that made his ears spring up and his fur prickle. "I never stopped loving you... not even for a moment. Now that I know who you are... I just want to be with you. But if you honestly say you don't feel the same anymore..." You paused for a long time, deliberating as you closed your eyes. "...Then I will leave you be. Just... Don't lie to me. It will hurt me more than any wound."

As you slowly opened your eyes once more, you were met with G'raha's ruby gaze. His eyes were still a little wet as his ears gently bobbed up and down, but gradually, a gentle smile touched his lips as he placed his hands atop your own.

"...Forgive me, Warrior of Light. I... I cannot tell you exactly why, but we...cannot be together. I am...from another time. 'Tis not... meant to be, as much as it pains me--"

"I don't care," you said, gripping the chair, pressing your forehead to his a little more closely. "You are G'raha Tia. Even if you're from another time... you have the memories we shared, the love we shared. You are the one I love... that hasn't changed. Has it...?"

"Ah..." The Exarch could not keep up his cold façade forever, not when faced with your overpowering leer and stubbornness. When he saw up close just how much you still loved and cared for him, his desire to push you away vanished like a drop in the desert.

You couldn't resist him now that he had lowered his guard. You had waited too long for this moment, you had gone too long without him by your side. You wanted to feel his warmth, his lips, and so you gave in to your yearning and touched your lips to his.

"Mm..." You sighed gently, the taste of his lips still as sweet as they were in your dreams.

G'raha lowered his lashes, his cheeks flushed a deep red as you slowly pulled away. He removed his hands from yours and gently slipped his arms around your waist, pulling you onto his lap as his ears waggled. "[Name]..." A single tear rolled down from his right eye.

"...how long I have...dreamt of this moment to come." He smiled sadly. "But--"

"Ah... None of that," you blew a gentle breath on his lips as you sat on his lap, draping your arms over his shoulders. "Whatever worries you might have, we'll overcome them together. I've waited too long for this... for a dream I thought might never come true."

"...But a dream is forever, G'raha Tia. My dream of forever...has always been with you."

"[Name], I..." You closed your eyes as he spoke, his hands stroking your back as one trailed up your body and into your hair. How good it felt to experience his touch once again. "...I never stopped loving you..." His voice was a soft whisper, like a tender caress upon your heart.

"...I never will." The Crystal Exarch pressed his lips to yours as he hugged you against him, giving you a deep kiss that carried a hundred years of longing and dreams.

And that kiss went on and on. . .

. . .as the sweet desires of your hearts were quenched at long last.

  
  


## THE END

**Author's Note:**

> I just felt inspired and wrote this out in one sitting. Didn't proofread it so if there's errors sorry. :'D


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